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Mor Kali (Savory Fried Rice Flour and Buttermilk Porridge)

No, this is not a photo of a plate of mashed potatoes, although the texture of the dish is quite similar to fried mashed potatoes. What you are seeing is my attempt to make a popular south Indian savory breakfast porridge called "Mor Kali". Usually a kadai is used to cook this dish, but I used a wok, which is similarly shaped. I didn't manage to produce the thick brown crust I was hoping for, but the result was a fragrant treat that I enjoyed for dinner with a bowl of yellow split pea soup.

Mix the rice flour and buttermilk or yogurt together. Pour in enough water to make a batter that is a bit thinner than a pancake batter.

Heat a few teaspoons of ghee or oil in a large wok over medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, kalonji seeds and urad dal, and stir for a few minutes. Now add the asafetida, green chilies and curry leaves and cook for another minute or so. Add the dried red chilies to the pan, stir for another few minutes and then pour in the batter.

Stir the mixture continuously until it thickens. Cover and cook for another few minutes until a golden crust forms on the bottom.

wow Lisa you remind me of my moms mor kali...she used to do this whenever I get hungry suddenly...this such a lovely entry..this dish is very close to my heart...thanks for trying this out and sending it t o eat healthy :)

It definitely looks like mashed potatoes; glancing through your ingredients it's hard to believe that it's based on rice flour instead! Lacking rice flour, I may be inspired to try this spice combination and fry up some mashed potatoes instead. Sacrilege, I know, but sure looks good!

Based in London, Ontario, a veteran vegetarian for 23 years serves up a collection of delicious culinary creations from her kitchen, with an emphasis on spicy Indian dishes and whole foods. If you want to know what sensible vegetarians eat, Lisa's Kitchen is the place to be.